


Afternoon Games

by ReneeTheAngelAndPartTimeRareBookDealer



Series: The Ineffable Anthology [3]
Category: Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Established Relationship, Flirting, Games, M/M, Teasing, They love each other, get ready for some mf FLUFF, hurt/comfort if you squint, thats it, thats the plot, they are feeding ducks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 10:34:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20226421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReneeTheAngelAndPartTimeRareBookDealer/pseuds/ReneeTheAngelAndPartTimeRareBookDealer
Summary: Crowley decides to spice up his and Aziraphale's usual lets-be-an-old-married-couple-and-feed-ducks-at-the-park date by suggesting a game. Is it a self-destructive tendency or a much needed therapy session? Who knows! Not them!





	Afternoon Games

It was a normal afternoon. The sun not oppressively hot, but present, and a gentle breeze making its languid way through the trees. The two were sitting on their usual park bench, the angel watching the ducks in the pond, and the demon watching his companion. 

Unprompted, and still staring, Crowley asked, “Fancy trying something new?”

“Mhm. Yes, sounds delightful,” Aziraphale replied distractedly. His attention was elsewhere as he was locked into a staring contest with a duck. The angel was sure the animal was trying to communicate something. 

Certainly, being a demon _not_ above petty jealousy, Crowley took Aziraphale’s hand in his and tugged him closer.

The duck was immediately forgotten as the angel was met with a devilish smirk. It was everything he’d come to know his companion to be — arrogant, infuriating, and completely breathtaking. 

“Don’t look so frightened, angel,” Crowley chided. 

Aziraphale blushed at the words. He was never afraid of being _seen_ with the demon, not by the humans at least. Despite the fact that Armageddon had come and gone, and the pair had evaded nearly every catastrophe, the angel still had the urge to look over his shoulder for Gabriel. He knew that it was ridiculous, knew that the divine forces at work had quelled their war hunger, for now, but the habit was hellbent on remaining. 

“Don’t worry,” the demon said, squeezing Aziraphale’s hand reassuringly. “You’ll like this game.”

“Oh,” the angel brightened instantly. “So it’s a game now, is it?” He immediately scanned the surrounding area, surprised to find the park unusually empty for this time of day, save the ducks of course. _It’s for the best,_ he thought, _for the mortals not to be present when Crowley’s game descends into chaos. Which it absolutely will. _

The demon tsked, as if sensing his companion’s thoughts, offended. “Relax, love. It’s nothing life threatening.” 

“No, of course it isn’t,” Aziraphale replied, the words dripping with sarcasm.

Crowley was almost proud of how far the angel had come in the realm of insulting him. He took the sly jabs as a sign that his companion was comfortable around him, and he was more than happy to have his lover bite back. 

“Hm, I _suppose_ you have reason to doubt me,” he drawled. “However can I win your trust? Assure you of my good intentions?” The demon released Aziraphale’s hand to place his own over his breast-pocket. “What is it the humans do, cross my heart?” He asked as he did the motion. 

“And hope to die,” Aziraphale finished. 

“Excuse me?”

The angel chuckled. “It’s the end of the human phrase you so delightfully replicated.” 

Crowley righted his jacket, clearing his throat as he looked out towards the pond. “Well, I certainly don’t hope to _die_. I quite like this life,” he said as he met Aziraphale’s gaze. “Thank you very much.” 

“Alright,” the angel replied. It was his turn to reach out and grab his companion’s hand. “I accept those terms. Now, what is this game of yours?”

The demon grinned. “Fantastic,” he said, turning his body toward Aziraphale. “I want you to tell me everything you hate about me.” 

“You want me to what?” The angel deadpanned. 

“Please, you hardly need me to repeat myself.” 

Aziraphale pulled away. “This is another one of your tricks ins’t it?” He asked, his suspicion rising again. 

“No,” Crowley groaned, throwing his head over the bench’s back rest. “I assure you it isn’t. I genuinely want to hear what you have to say.” 

They were silent for a moment, the demon regretting every one of his decisions that made his companion distrust him so, and the angel wanting desperately to know what his lover was thinking. 

“Your word that this isn’t another Halloween incident?” Aziraphale asked.

“You have it,” Crowley answered.

The reply came so easily, without protest or hint of malice, and it was because of this that the angel relented. “Ok,” he sighed. “_Everything_ I hate about you?” 

“Yes,” the demon replied, staring intently at Aziraphale now. 

“Well, alright then.” 

The angel straightened his posture, squared his shoulders, and turned to level a serious look at Crowley. The former fought a shiver as he reconsidered whether or not he should be afraid. 

“Your drive recklessly, for starters,” the angel began. “I mean, _really_ Crowley, what possesses you to drive so fast? There’s no logical reason. The Bentley can’t last on spite alone, I assure you. You’re just rash, and not to mention abusive.” 

The demon’s brows rose at the acquisition and Aziraphale rushed to elaborate, “Not to me, of course, but certainly to your plants. Tell me, why are you so vicious towards them? They’re practically perfect, if not so already after enduring your tyranny. There’s no need to shout at them the way you do. And not to mention your music taste, but darling, you are aware that there exist other bands besides _Queen_, don’t you?” 

Crowley’s jaw twitched, but he remained silent, sensing that the angel’s complaints were far from over. 

The angel’s shoulders slumped and he looked down before continuing, “I hate that you continue to wear you sunglasses around me, even when it’s just the two of us. I love your eyes, you know that right? They’re absolutely marvelous.”

It felt like there was a hand in Crowley’s chest, and it was squeezing the life out of his heart. For a moment, he couldn’t breathe, only listen. 

“It hurts when you hide them from me. It makes me feel like you don’t trust me. Like there’s a distance between us. Like after all that talk of _our_ side, you still hesitate to cross that barrier. Now, mind you, I am a very patient person. It’s one of my virtues, you know. But even angels have their limits, and I’m not fond of hopeless pursuits.” 

They were silent again. Crowley focusing on even breathing, very much regretting his suggestion of this game, and Aziraphale inwardly cursing himself, already wishing he could take the words back.

“Are you finished?” The demon asked, his voice barely above a whisper. 

“Yes,” the angel replied, gently. He dared a glance at his lover who hadn’t moved throughout the entire tirade. He didn’t look angry, but with those dark glasses, Aziraphale was never sure. 

“Ok then,” Crowley announced, clapping his palms onto his knees. “Allow me to sooth your worries, and express every reason as to why I love you.”

“Pardon me?” The angel sputtered. It was the second time within the hour that his brain had short-circuited, and all because of the man sitting beside him. _Certainly_, he had to be joking this time. 

“You heard me. What’s the problem now?” 

“No problem, per se,” Aziraphale answered. “It’s just that,” he paused, glancing once more at the demon who continued to stare at him. “You seem to be making this game up as you go along. I assumed it would be up to me to decide what you told me.” 

Crowley’s stare was bordering on unnerving at this point. “I never said that’s how this game works,” he replied. “And besides, do you _honestly_ have any objections to the nature of what I’m about to say to you?”

“No,” the angel blushed. “But-”

“Then may I continue?” the demon asked hurriedly. 

Aziraphale opened his mouth to say something, turned towards his companion, and closed it again. Crowley was clearly determined to get this off his chest, and Aziraphale was never an angel above receiving praise. 

“Of course,” he conceded. 

The demon didn’t waste a moment. Grabbing Aziraphale’s hand once more, he declared, “I love that you run a bookshop, of all things. Love how those ancient tomes and ridiculous prophecies make your eyes light up, brighter than the heavens, I swear.”

Already, the angel had a ridiculous smile plastered on his face. He squeezed Crowley’s hand, and the demon took this as encouragement to continue. 

"I love how kind you are.” He was interrupted by Aziraphale’s laugh, and momentarily distracted by the sound. Crowley loved that too, but he had other things to say first. “I understand that you’re an angel,” he explained. “But truly, it's quite endearing, and damningly persuasive, if I do say so myself,” he concluded, placing a kiss upon the angel’s knuckles. 

Aziraphale’s heart fluttered at the gesture, his cheeks filling with color as he stared at the spot the demon’s lips had just been. 

His gaze didn’t escape Crowley’s notice, and it did wonders for his ego. “More importantly,” he continued. “I love how you allow me to deliberately question God. Some of the things I’ve said are blasphemous, downright sacrilege, but you listen to every word,” he whispered, tracing lazy circles over the angel’s hand. “Give them due consideration, and even dare to question with me.”

He chuckled when he sensed his partner’s indignation. Looked up just in time to see the fire light behind Aziraphale’s eyes, and his mouth open in protest. 

“_Sometimes_,” the demon clarified. 

He could feel the angel’s anger subsiding, and rushed to make up for the small transgression. _“_And on that note,” Crowley crooned. “I love that you tolerate me. You told me once that I go too fast for you, and _clearly, _my personality drives you mad, but here you sit.” He paused, waiting until Aziraphale looked back at him before continuing, “a millennia later.” 

A begrudging smile graced the angel’s lips, and the demon grinned in return. 

“I love that you stayed,” he said, gripping Aziraphale’s hand tighter. “That you’ve been my partner all these years, throughout the end of the world. You’ve even braved Hell for me, do you remember that?” He asked. “Devils, I wish I could’ve seen you. I’m sure you were nothing short of perfection. You always are.”

Next to him, the angel was trying his best not to cry. After blinking profusely, he choked out, “Is that all?” 

Crowley’s brows rose above the rim of his glasses. “What,” he asked, stunned, “you want more?”

“No!” Aziraphale shouted. “What you said was wonderful, really,” he added. “I just didn’t want to interrupt you again. Is that the game, then?” 

“No,” the demon answered, grinning. His voice held wicked excitement, the kind that set the angel’s nerves on edge and had him worried for the safety of the general public. It promised nothing but trouble. 

“There’s one more part,” he continued. “Now we each do the opposite.”

“What do you mean?”

“What I _mean_,” Crowley said, leaning in conspiringly. There was no need for him to be so close, the park remained empty save for the two of them, but the movement didn’t fail to elicit the desired response — a shiver from Aziraphale. The demon chuckled before continuing, “Is that now _I_ am going to reveal what I hate about you, and _you_ are going to detail what you love about me. We’ll do it together, at the same time.” 

He sat back to gauge the angel’s reaction. 

Aziraphale was, quite frankly, relieved at the turn of events. _Why,_ he thought, _this is the simplest thing he’s ever asked of me. _

“Ok,” he agreed. 

Crowley smiled. The rare, genuine kind that stole the angel’s breath. The kind of smile that made him wonder how the man beside him could ever doubt that he’d stay. How could he not?

“Ready?” The demon asked, an infectious glee spreading from him to the angel. He even removed his sunglasses, placing them atop his head, so that snake eyes peered into blue ones, unobstructed. 

“Yes,” Aziraphale replied, breathless. 

They answered in unison, smiling foolishly at each other the way only two people in love could. Crowley answering the question, _What do you hate about me?_ And Aziraphale, the question, _What do you love about me? _

“Nothing,” the demon said. 

“Everything,” the angel said. 

**Author's Note:**

> not gonna lie, I deadass forgot it was monday lmao sorry for this late update. And, fun fact, I made myself uwu while writing this.


End file.
